University Honors Program FAQs

No, definitely not. The University Honors Program is an academic program, of course, and it is designed to help students become more critical and creative thinkers. It’s not merely about what happens in the classroom, though. Honors students are members of a diverse and vibrant community of intelligent people who want to engage with big ideas, cultivate their leadership skills, and participate in meaningful community service. AUM Honors students have their own student organization, a living-and-learning community in P-40 Place, and sponsor a range of social events throughout the year.

Above all, participating in the University Honors Program means joining a community unlike anything else you will find on campus. You will take courses taught by teams of two or three professors from different departments, who will challenge you to think differently—to be creative as well as critical — about the topics you study. You will engage with students from a wide range of backgrounds and with widely differing beliefs. You will have a group of peers who are intellectually curious and self-motivated. And you will probably have a lot of fun, too.

No, you will not. You will take one Honors seminar each semester for your first three years at AUM. These seminars can replace general education requirements. So, for instance, while most freshmen at the university are required to take ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020, a pair of English composition courses, Honors students normally take HONR 1757 instead.

Honors courses at AUM are intended, first and foremost, to be different from others. You can expect them to be challenging, of course; your professors and peers will push you to stretch yourself and to maximize your potential. Honors courses are intended to help you engage with topics more deeply, more broadly, and with greater sophistication. They are usually smaller than non-honors courses, and they tend to emphasize discussion and creative projects over lectures and traditional examinations. They’re also usually a lot of fun.

The first step is to apply to Auburn University at Montgomery. Once you’re admitted to the university, you will be issued an S-Number and you will be able to complete the online application for the Honors Program. You will submit a short essay, which will be read by AUM professors, and you will interview with current AUM honors students.

No, it is not. Applicants for the Deichelmann Memorial Scholarship must demonstrate commitment to active involvement with the AUM community, and normally do so by applying to the University Honors Program. Candidates for the Deichelmann award will schedule a separate interview, in addition to the Honors interview, as part of the application process. AUM staff will make every effort to ensure that, if possible, applicants are able to schedule both interviews for the same day.

Yes, there is. Every student at AUM is eligible to graduate with Latin honors, distinctions which are based entirely upon a student’s cumulative GPA: cum laude (3.4-3.59), magna cum laude (3.6-3.79), or summa cum laude (3.8-4.0). Only students who complete the Honors curriculum can graduate from the University Honors Program.